From where you sit right now, it’s hard to imagine a situation in which you will be charged with the crime of credit card fraud.
However, many people find themselves dealing with the aftermath of this crime. And if you’re one of them in the future, it’s imperative to understand what went wrong and the things you can do to escape the most serious punishment.
First things first, you should understand the many types of credit card fraud. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Identity theft. This is the unauthorized use of a person’s personal identification, such as his or her Social Security number, to commit credit card fraud.
- Fraud spree. This is exactly what it sounds like — a person uses another person’s credit card to make purchases.
- Applying for a credit card in another person’s name. This is similar to identity theft, with the person typically intending to use the credit card for fraudulent reasons.
Even though there is more than one type of credit card fraud, they are all extremely serious. A conviction of this crime can lead to a prison sentence, among a variety of other consequences.
There are times when a person is charged with credit card fraud, when in all actuality he or she didn’t do anything wrong.
For example, you could think you have permission from a person to use his or her credit card, just to find that he or she has called the police on you after doing so.
Since there is so much gray area regarding credit card fraud, you need to understand your legal rights and how to protect them.
Source: FindLaw, “Debit / Credit Card Fraud,” accessed Feb. 21, 2018
